JERRY CANTRELL

It’s not very grunge to talk about yourself and your achievements; the Seattle scene that birthed so many icons is characterised by its down-to-earth, unshowy nature. As such, Jerry Cantrell, Alice In Chains’ guitarist/vocalist, is an affable but humble interviewee. “I just go where the music takes me and with what feels right,” he tells us. “And right now, it’s taken me to a new solo album, where I got the chance to play with my friends and a bunch of people that I’ve never played with before.”

Featuring contributions from Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan and ex-Dillinger Escape Plan frontman Greg Puciato, third solo album Brighten is another milestone in an impressive career that began in 1987, when Jerry co-founded Alice In Chains. Thanks to the hype around grunge and the success of anthemic single Man In The Box, the band’s rise was meteoric, and they cemented their legacy with 1992 album Dirt. Tragically, they slowly self-destructed, with frontman Layne Staley passing away from a heroin overdose in 2002. By this point, Jerry had embarked on his solo career, and no one expected to see Alice In Chains again. But in 2006, they reformed with new vocalist William DuVall, leading to an unexpected yet inspiring second act.

Meanwhile, Jerry has collaborated with artists from Elton John to Metallica, and has flirted with the film world, appearing in and working with director Cameron Crowe on and . One thing’s for sure: he’s come